Automatic switch for electric irons.



J. (I. GRIESEL; AUTOMAZTIC SWITCH FOIR ELECTRIC IRONS. APPLICATION FILEDres 20. 1918 1,275,552. Patented Aug. 13, 1918.;

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Willi @am INVENTOR Jbhn/QGrwSeQ WITIN I ESSESWWKJ 1 v BY (QZW/lu, v IATTORNEY J. C. GRIESEL. AUTOMATIC SWITCH FOR ELECTRIC IRONS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, I918- Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

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INVENTOR Joh/n/ U. GT'WSHQ.

ATTORN EY W UNITED STATES PA ENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. .GRIESEII, OF POTTSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

A'UTI OIvIACIPIC SWITCH F63 ELECTRIC IRONS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 13,1918:

Application filed February 20, 1918. Serial No. 218,271.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN citizen of the United States, residingPottsville, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulAutomatic Switch for Electric Irons, of which the following is aspecifica tion. This invention has reference to automatic switches forelectric irons for laundry work, and its object is to provide a switchwhich, when the iron is placed upon a suitable stand, automaticallycausesthe opening of C. LGRIESEL, ,a at

the circuit, and when the iron is removed from the stand, the circuitbecomes automatically closed.

The invention comprises a terminal contact carrying member arranged tobe applied to an iron having contacts for its heating element which,when the carrying member is applied to .the iron, are engaged by thecontacts in said carrying member. The

contacts of the carrying member are coupled.

up to a suitable flexible cord as is customary, which cord is providedwith an attachment plug for connection to a house circuit.

The carrying member has the contacts therein so mounted that. they willmove within the carryingmember for a limited distance, being yieldablyheld at one limit of their movement by a spring, and in such.v

position being arranged to engage the terminals of the iron when-thelatter is removed from the stand. When, however, the iron is placed onthe stand, a part provided on the stand engages-a part on the movablecontact holder of the carrying member to force such contact holderagainst its normal tendency, so that the circuit is broken between thecontacts on the contact carrier or plug and the iron.

The invention will be bestv understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with thefurther understanding that, while thedrawings show a practicalformoftheinvention, the'latter is not confined to any strictconformity'with the showing of the drawings but may be changed andmodified so long as such in the county of Schuylkill and changes andmodifications come within the scope of the appended claiins.

In the drawings 'Figurel is a side elevation of the iron upon a stand,with break the circuit;

Fig. 2 is a rear shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the iron from the same side seen in Fig.1, but limited to elevation of the structure the rear end thereof andshowing a contact carrier or plug in longitudinal section, the ggurebeing drawn on a larger scale than 1g. 1 Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 3, with the iron lifted a short distance from the stand .to showthe position of they parts (when the circuit is completed; F Fig. 5 .isa section on the line 5-5 of ig. 3; g

Fig. 6 is a rear elevation of the movable contact holder in the plug;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 6;

A Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the casing of the plug carrying thecontact holder, but with the latter omitted;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the contact -holder omitting distant. parts,and with the conduc tors connected to the contacts shown in crosssection.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an iron 1 provided with ahandle 2 having a flat'strap or bar 3 supporting the handle on-the iron,this strap 3 being provided with a rear upstanding portion 4'which isutilized in a manner to be hereinafter described.

The iron at its rear portion hasupstanding the parts so related as tothe rear' of shown as in the'formof an arch, although such particularform is not at all obligatory.

which is somewhat There is also provided a casing 9 shown as of ovalcross section, although such particular shape is not mandatory. At oneend, the casing is open, and at the other end, which in operativeposition is the upper end, there is a closing wall 10 with a centralneck 11 designed to be entered by a flexible cord 12 about which for asuitable distance there is applied an open wire coil 13. At one end, thecoil enters and is secured to the neck 11, and at the otheiuend isprovided with a collar 14 arranged to be attached to the cord 12 by ascrew 15 or otherwise, so that the cord 12 is made fast to the casing orshell 9 by the screw 15. the arrangement being such that pull upon thecord 12 will be resisted by the wire coil 13 which may be of elasticnature. The coil 13 also prevents any sharp bends in the cord 12,especially adjacent to the neck 11. thereb avoiding breaks in the cord12.

Within the shell or casing 9, which may be of even size throughout itslength, there is located a block 16 also of oval cross section toconform to the interior shape of the shell 9. The block 16 is made ofsome suitable insulating material, which material is also of arefractory nature to resist heat. Porcelain answers the purpose, andthere are other. insulating materials having the desirable quality. Atone end the block 16, elongated, is formed with a longitudinal cavity 17and at the other end with twin cavities 18 onopposite sides of itslongitudinal center line. Each cavity 18 joins the cavity 17 through apassage 19 through which there extends a bolt 20 having within therespective cavity 18 a head 21, and within the cavity 17 is screwthreaded to receive a nut 22. Clamped between each nut 22 and a suitablewasher 23 on each bolt 19, is one end of an electric conductor 24forming part of the cord 12 which, as is customary, is provided with twoelectric conductors suitably insulated one from the other. Each head 21is or may be recessed at one end, as shown with relation to one of theheads in Fig. 5 at 25. These recesses are designed to seat the exposedends of the pins 5 which may be slightly rounded as shown at 26 for thepurpose. The reason for providing two cavities or sockets 18 is toprevent any danger of arcing between the heads 21 when the circuit isbroken, the block 16 being formed with a web or wall 27' between the twocavities or recesses 18.

Fast to one broad face of the block 16 is a plate 28 extending below theblock when the latter is in place in the casing 9 and terminating in afoot 29, formed by suitably bending the plate 28. The casing 9 has atits lower end an opening 30 through which the plate .28 extends, so thatthe foot 29 is in the path of the arch-8 which engages the the neck 11.

foot 29 when the iron is placed upon the stand 6, forcing the block 16lengthwise of the casing 9 toward that end provided with Within thecasing 9 between the block 16 and the top 10, of the casing 9 there islodged a spring 31 constantly urging the block 16 toward that end of thecasing remote from the top 10.

The casing 9' is provided on the side re mote from the opening 30 with atongue 32 outset from the casing and in position to pass through a slot33 in the upstanding end 4 of the handle bar 3, so that the casing isheld from pulling away from the handle bar and also is limited in itsmovement toward the body of the iron by the tongue 32 and the upstandingmember 4. To further hold the casing 9, it has a longitudinal enteringrecess 34 in the end remote from the neck 11, and in the face remotefrom the opening 30. The recess 34 is traversed by the stem of a bolt 35having at one end a head 36 engaging the inner wall of the casing 9, andat the outer end of the bolt 35, which is suitably threaded, there isapplied a thumb nut 37 or other suitable binding device for clamping thehead 36 of the bolt tightly against the inner wall of the casing 9, andsaid casing to the upstanding portion 1- of the handle bar .3. Toaccommodate the head 36, the block 16 has a recess 38 formed in it.

The plate 28 is 'held to the block 16 by bolts 39 traversing the block,but the plate may be secured to the block in any other suitable manner.When the iron is suitably placed upon the stand 6, resting directly uponthe plate 7, the foot 29 engages the arch 8 before the iron reaches thestand, and consequently, the block 16 is forced against the action ofthe spring 31 for a sufiicient distance to hold the heads 21, whichconstitute contact terminals, out of engagement with the pins 5, whichalso constitute contact terminals belonging directly to the iron. Underthese circumstances, no current flQws, even though the ordinaryattachment plug usually supplied with electric irons be inserted in asocket in the house circuit. When it is desired to use the iron, thecircuit may be completed by lifting the ironfrom the stand, whereuponthe expansion of the spring 31 forces the block 16 lengthwise of thecasing pins 5, this condition the iron is in use and not located on thestand in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

For continue heating or when first heatingithe iron, it may be set onthe stand slightly forward ,ofthe open circuit position, thus permittingthe foot 29 to escape from the arch 8. This, however, is'not the normalposition of the iron on the stand for such 9, so that the heads 21engage the prevailing so long as normal position of the iron on thestand prevents heating since the circuit is automatlcally broken by theengagement of the foot 29 with the arch 8. The proper placing of theiron on the standis insured by providing the top portion 7 with amarginal flange somewhat larger than the top of the iron but closeenough to the size of the iron to revent any movement of the latter Wich would cause the foot 29 to escape from the arch 8. This contributesmarkedly to the safety of the device from overheating and therebypreventing the probability of fire and also to economize while the ironis not inactual use, thereby saving considerable in operating expenses.I

It has been proposed to provide electric irons with automatic cut-outswitches de-' pending for their action .upon setting the iron on oneend, but there is then the liability of upsetting the iron, with theresult that the b1 circuit is closed and the iron heated with disastrousresultsi Such cannot occur with this invention, since when the iron isnot in use, it is placed flat upon a stand where the support is broad,and the liability of upsetting is reduced to a minimum.

The screw 35 and nut 37 constituting a clamp bolt serve to hold thecasing 9 to the iron against displacement thereon. If it s desired toadjust/or remove the casing, the

may be done by loosening the nut 37, where- .upon the casing maybeadjusted or wholly removed, as desired.

What is claimed is 1. The combination with an electric ironprovided'with circuit terminals, of a device carried .by the iron and inturncarrying other circuit terminals movable toward and from thefirst-named circuit terminals, and a stand on which the iron issupported in a 4 substantially horizontal position, said stand anddevice having coacting parts for causing the second-named circuitterminals to move away from the first-named circuit terminals when theiron is placed on the stand.

2. The combination with an electric iron" having exposed circuitterminals, of a casing attachable to the iron to cover the circuitterminals on the iron, an elastically yieldable member within the casingprovided with circuit terminals movable with the yieldable member intoand out of contact with the circuit terminals on the iron, :1 stand forthe iron, and coacting means on the stand and on the yieldable memberfor engagement when the iron is placed on the stand in the substantiallyhorizontal position to move the I elastically yieldable member againstits normal tendency, whereby to hold the circuit terminals separated andthereby break the.

circuit at the terminals.

3. An'electric Iron provided wlth circuit terminals and a casing carriedby the iron inthe 'casin terminals, a casing securedto the fixed objectfor moving the with yieldable circuit constant tendency to engage thecircuit terposition to'cover the circuit-terminals, said casinginclosingan elastically yieldable insulating block with circuitterminals thereon movable with the block into and out of engagement withthe circuit terminals on the iron, and said block having means forengaging an iron support to move the block and its circuit terminalsinto position to separate the terminals.

4. An electric iron provided with exposed circuit terminals, a casingsecured to the iron, an insulating block within the casing and movablelengthwise thereof, a spring within having a constant tendenc to movethe lock toward the circuit terminals on the iron, contacts carried bythe block in position to engage the contactson the iron, and a member onthe block projecting through the casing to the exterior thereof forengaging a relatively fixed part to move the ock in opposition to thespring to separate the'circuit terminals on the block from those on theiron.

- 5. An electric iron provided with circuit terminals, a casing forcovering the circuit terminals, other circuit terminals within thecasing insulated from and movable lengthwise of said casing'into and outof engagement with the first-named circuit terminals, elastic means forconstraining the secondnamed circuit terminals into engagement with thefirst-named circuit terminals, and

means for rigidly connecting'the casing to the iron to hold said casingin position'on the iron and for releasing moval thereof from the iron.

6. An electric iron provided with circuit iron in position to cover thecircuit terminals, an insulating block within the casing, circuitterminals carried by the block in position to engage the circuitterminals on the iron, a spring within the casing tending to move thecircuit terminals onthe block into engagement with the circuit terminalson the iron, means on the block in position to engage a block againstthe action of the spring to separate the circuit said casing forreterminals of the block from those ofthe iron,

exterior of the casing, and an elastic coil fast to the casing and tothe conductors exterior to the block for resisting strains on theconductors tending to pull them loose from the circuit terminals towhich they are connected.

7 An electric iron provided with exposed circuit terminals, and having'ahandle with supporting means therefor connecting it to the body of theiron, a casing inclosing the circuit terminals on the irongand providedterminals having" a v E EWBJWQ minals on the iron and connections fersemy own, 15 have hereto afiixec? my signature eurigig' 13h; Cfisil'lgt0 thelhgldzing lgelans for the in the presence of W70 witnesses.

nan e o t e iron, inc'u in 21 0 t enterin T I the casing and. exteningthFough the handlz (UHN GRIESEL support he clamp the casing to thehandle Witnesses:

support or to release it therefrem. WILLIAM H. ENTS In testimeny, that Iclaim the feregoing es F. S.

